Deep compositing the cityscapes of Blade Runner 2049

How Atomic Fiction conjured up a moody, atmospheric aesthetic

Deep compositing has become a mainstay for those looking to create atmospheric film environments.

From the complex forest scenes of Avatar, to the eerie mist-shrouded aliens of Arrival, the control over depth, transparency and opacity that deep compositing affords has enabled studios to transport us into worlds vastly more convincing than would have otherwise been possible.

Which is why it was an obvious choice to help Atomic Fiction create the iconic, claustrophobic cityscapes of Blade Runner 2049.

Find out how the moody, backlit aesthetic of this hotly-tipped 2017 sequel to the 1982 sci-fi cult classic was achieved - and how deep compositing in Nuke played a pivotal role:

Part of the creative process is actually being able to experiment with a lot of stuff that doesn't work, to find the one that really sings. And that's what Nuke does for us.

Kevin Baillie, co-founder, Atomic Fiction

Kevin Baillie, co-founder of Atomic Fiction, sums is up when he says: “Being able to build a whole atmosphere, in Nuke, with layers of actual volumetric elements that are thrown in there deep and layered all the way back, just brings this reality, this edge, this life to it, that you don't get otherwise”